STATUTORY RULES.
1933. No. 62.
REGULATIONS UNDER THE COMMONWEALTH PUBLIC SERVICE ACT 1922-1932.
THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS appointed under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1932, in pursuance and exercise of the authority conferred upon it by the said Act, and subject to the approval of the Governor-General, hereby makes the following Regulation.
Dated this twenty-third day of May, 1933.
W. J. CLEMENS,
Commissioner.
Approved in Executive Council this twenty-third day of May, 1933.
ISAAC A. ISAACS
Governor-General.
By His Excellency’s Command,
A. J. McLACHLAN
for Prime Minister.
Amendment of Commonwealth Public Service Regulations.
(Statutory Rules 1926, No. 212, as amended to this date.)
Regulation 106a is repealed and the following regulation inserted in its stead:—
“106a.—(1.) Where the Commonwealth Statistician notifies in the Gazette the retail price index number for the six State capital cities of the Commonwealth for the twelve months preceding the first day of January in any year, commencing with the twelve months preceding the first day of January, One thousand nine hundred and thirty-three, and the index number so notified is less than one thousand six hundred and seventy-two or more than one thousand seven hundred and forty-four, salary payable in pursuance of the provisions of regulations 104, 105, 105a, 105b, and 106 of these Regulations shall be varied in the following manner:—
(i) In the case of officers under twenty-one years of age—
by increase or decrease of Three pounds per annum in respect of each forty-eight points or portion thereof by which respectively the index number exceeds one thousand seven hundred and forty-four or is less than one thousand six hundred and seventy-two.
(ii) In the case of adult female officers—
by increase or decrease of Four pounds per annum in respect of each forty-eight points or portion thereof by which respectively the index number exceeds one thousand seven hundred and forty-four or is less than one thousand six hundred and seventy-two.
1800.—Price 3d.
(iii) In the case of adult male officers—
by increase or decrease of Six pounds per annum in respect of each forty-eight points or portion thereof by which respectively the index number exceeds one thousand seven hundred and forty-four or is less than one thousand six hundred and seventy-two.
(2.) Any variation made in pursuance of the last preceding sub-regulation shall take effect on the first day of July next following the notification in the Gazette of the index number, and shall continue in force for a period of twelve months.
(3.) In this regulation “index number” means the Harvester-all-items index number (“D” series) published in the Gazette by the Commonwealth Statistician as being the retail price index number ascertained in respect of food, groceries, housing (rent of houses of four or five rooms only), clothing and miscellaneous expenditure combined.”.
By Authority: L.F. Johnston, Commonwealth Government Printer, Canberra.
Overview
The Statutory Rules 1933 No. 62, Regulations under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1932, was introduced to address the need for a systematic method to adjust salaries based on economic conditions, specifically the retail price index. Enacted by the Board of Commissioners under the authority of the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1932, these regulations were approved by the Governor-General and the Executive Council, reflecting the legislative process of the time. The policy objective was to ensure that the salaries of Commonwealth public servants were adjusted in line with changes in the cost of living, as reflected by the retail price index for major cities. This adjustment was to be made annually based on the index number published by the Commonwealth Statistician, with different rates of adjustment applied to various categories of officers.
Scope and Application
The Commonwealth Public Service Regulations, as amended by Statutory Rules 1933, No. 62, apply to officers of the Commonwealth public service who are subject to the provisions of regulations 104, 105, 105a, 105b, and 106. This legislative instrument specifically governs the adjustment of salaries for public service officers based on the retail price index number for six state capital cities, which is published by the Commonwealth Statistician. The regulation applies across the Commonwealth, affecting federal public servants nationwide. The regulation does not explicitly outline exclusions or exemptions, but it does differentiate between officers under twenty-one years of age and adult officers, with varying adjustment amounts based on gender. The regulation extends its application through the specified index numbers and the prescribed variations in salary adjustments, which are detailed in the regulation and take effect on the first day of July following the publication of the relevant index number in the Gazette.
Key Provisions
The main operative sections of these regulations pertain to adjustments to salaries based on the retail price index number for six state capital cities. Specifically, Regulation 106a mandates that if the Commonwealth Statistician notifies in the Gazette a retail price index number that falls outside the range of 1672 to 1744 for the preceding twelve months, salary adjustments for Commonwealth officers will be made. The adjustment amount varies depending on the officer's age and gender, with younger officers receiving a £3 adjustment per 48-point deviation, adult female officers receiving a £4 adjustment, and adult male officers receiving a £6 adjustment per 48-point deviation (section 106a(1)). These salary variations will take effect on the first of July following the notification of the index number and remain in force for twelve months (section 106a(2)). The "index number" referred to in the regulation is the Harvester-all-items index number (D series), published by the Commonwealth Statistician, which covers the retail prices of food, groceries, housing, clothing, and miscellaneous expenditures (section 106a(3)).
The Act imposes specific obligations on the Commonwealth Statistician to publish the retail price index number in the Gazette. Once the index number is published, the Board of Commissioners must implement the specified salary adjustments for Commonwealth officers, as detailed in Regulation 106a. These obligations extend to ensuring that the adjustments are made on the first day of July following the notification and that they remain in effect for a period of twelve months. The Board must also ensure that the correct index number is used for the calculations, specifically the Harvester-all-items index number (D series) that includes the retail price indices for food, groceries, housing, clothing, and miscellaneous expenditures.
Breaches of these regulations or failure to comply with the mandated salary adjustments could result in legal consequences. While the specific penalties for non-compliance are not detailed in the text, the regulations were issued under the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1932, which likely includes provisions for enforcement and penalties. Non-compliance could potentially lead to administrative actions, fines, or other legal repercussions as outlined under the Act. The maximum penalties would depend on the specific breach and the relevant provisions of the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1922-1932.